The Tourism Research Centre at the University of Prince Edward Island has released its Wind Energy Report, a study to “capture perceptions of wind energy production and wind farms, and their perceived effects on the landscape.” While the findings on wind energy are predictable (“82% of visitors and 75% of residents either agreed or strongly agreed that ‘There should be more wind farms on PEI’”), impressions of the Island’s branding as “Canada’s Green Province” showed a strong difference between Islanders and visitors:
There is some disagreement between visitors and Islanders as to PEI’s position as “Canada’s Green Province”. While over 83% of visitors feel this statement is either accurate or very accurate, only 30% of Islanders feel the same way. In addition, 37% of residents feel this statement is not accurate or not at all accurate. Only 7% of visitors feel this way.
I wonder who’s right.
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Comments
The first I heard of PEI
The first I heard of PEI being “Canada’s Green Province” was when it appeared on our license plates. It’s obvious that things like wind farms and waste watch have resonated with visitors.
I think it is important to note that there are <h ref=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L…“>7 other provinces in Canada with wind farms. These provinces also have other ‘green’ sources of energy. As well, as many, if not more, of <h ref=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R…“>Canadian provinces and municipalities have waste watch-type systems (recycling and or compost etc.).
Perhaps the reason Islanders feel differently about our tagline is because they know that we are not the only province in Canada doing things in a green way. Islanders may also disagree because they are aware that of PEI’s total fossil fuel consumption, 60% of it is allotted to transportation and that it is only very recent that we have bought in to public transit. A system that many provinces have had running for over 100 years.
Not sure whose right. All I know is that we can do much much more toward being “Canada’s Green Province”.
Tourists, in the summer, see
Tourists, in the summer, see the greenery. Winter residents might call it Canada’s White Province (snow not skin colour), but I guess most of Canada qualifies for that title in winter.
Green also means inexperienced. Are we Canada’s most innocent province?
I think visitors lack
I think visitors lack awareness of the pervasive use of pesticides that Islanders know all too well.
Maybe it’s because Islanders
Maybe it’s because Islanders remember when the last label was “Canada’s Smart Province” and they remember how frigging stupid grabbing the most popular adjective and just jacking it into the provincial branding campaign and license plate stamping is. And what Rob L. said.
Just today (with rather mixed
Just today (with rather mixed emotions) I traded in my “Canada’s Green Province” plate for a new “The Best Place On Earth” plate…guess I really am in BC now.
I’m not surprised some people
I’m not surprised some people see us that way, but in reality, we have a lot to do to get there. Province wide waste watch put us pretty high, but the system needs some expansion and work on the requirements of businesses. The wind power is a great step, and we are likely to have some of the highest per capita wind energy use in the country, (cause we are so small :)) but there is a lot of resistance to it in the areas it is being put up. The very very small windmill on the research farm on the Brackley Point Rd. has been shut down for how long due to ignorant complaints from the neighbors? I also think that while the Taxi lobby and small disparate population held us back on transit, we have been making great leaps of late. Further, with the possibility of runs between Summerside and Charlottetown talk of a province wide transit system might turn into a reality, and that would do a lot to reduce our emissions. So I think that while the name might not be wrong, with a little pressure we can really make it stick.
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